EVERYTHING THAT WENT DOWN AT MTV VMAS 2026

words by MAREK BARTEK

Party in the bush, party in the park — and most definitely party at last night’s MTV VMAs. The music industry’s most chaotic (respectfully) awards show took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. From Snoop Dogg’s hosting to performances by some of our favourite artists, there was absolutely no shortage of moments worth talking about. Here are the ones that will live in our heads rent-free for at least the next few days!

MADONNA IS THE MOMENT, NOW COME ON NOW!

image courtesy of STEWART COOK/CBS

If there was one thing to be certain — Madonna’s first VMAs performance in 23 years was going to be an unforgettable fever dream. Sabrina Carpenter joined her for Bring Your Love, before Charli xcx arrived for Danceteria Afterhours, with cameos from Julia Garner, Debi Mazar and Seth Rogen adding to the party. Later, Madonna shared the stage with Charli and Troye Sivan, giving us another trio to obsess over. She also revealed that her Sabrina collaboration started with a DM after she got tired of waiting for Sabrina’s team to reply. Seven awards, including Artist of the Year, rounded things off. If the proof is in the pudding, Madonna just proved to everyone that she's got a point, she's an icon, she's a legend, and she is the moment!

ARIANA’S SUMMER, OFFICIALLY!

Summer might be over, but resident Cancer woman Ariana Grande has two trophies to remember it by. hate that i made you love me picked up Song of Summer and Best Visual Effects at this year’s VMAs. The title alone feels like a Cancerian approach to relationships. The feelings aren’t simple, the emotional responsibility for someone else falling in love with you is apparently also yours. It’s tender, it’s messy, and we’ll be reading into absolutely everything, thank you very much. Some people spent the summer collecting seashells. Ariana collected feelings, turned them into a hit, and got awarded for it — rightfully so.

CHARLI AND TROYE, PLEASE REPORT TO THE CARPET!

images courtesy of SAINT LAURENT and ERDEM

Before joining Madonna onstage, Charli xcx and Troye Sivan gave us another reason to discuss them together. Charli arrived in black velvet Saint Laurent, pairing a cropped top with an ultra-low-rise skirt. Troye, meanwhile, wore an Erdem suit with a white feather bustle, because apparently It is almost weirdly satisfying seeing these two show up with completely different interpretations of dressing for the occasion and still making perfect sense next to each other.

TYLA, DO YOU HAVE THE TIME?

image via instagram @vmas

While we’re discussing all things fashion, Tyla arrived at the VMAs in an electric-blue snakeskin-print bra and low-rise skirt by Mowalola, giving us plenty of early-2000s energy. But there was one detail that definitely caught everyone’s attention: the Chopard watch around her ankle.

LISA’S HOMAGE TO HER HOME, THAILAND!

Picking up Best Pop for Dream was only part of LISA’s evening. She also brought SaWaDiKa to the VMAs stage, with dancers, fight choreography and a tuk-tuk ride through the set. There was barely a moment to settle into one scene before she was off to the next, turning the performance into a little adventure of its own, while simultaneously paying homage to her homeland Thailand. We do appreciate a pop star who gives us a full itinerary. Between collecting her trophy and getting through all that choreography, LISA certainly made the most of her time onstage.

SIENNA SPIRO SAID, YOUR TURN!

images via instagram @extratv

Getting photographed on the VMAs carpet is one thing. Bringing your own disposable camera and photographing the photographers is something else! Dressed in custom Valentino, Sienna Spiro briefly reversed the roles, giving us one of the cutest moments of the evening. There’s something very endearing about arriving at an awards show and wanting your own pictures to remember it by. And she had plenty worth documenting: Sienna also performed Great Expectation and took home Best New Artist. We can only hope someone got a picture of her with the trophy for that camera roll.

STATESIDE, TROPHY SIDE!

Social media’s favourite duo of PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson picked up Best Art Direction at this year’s VMAs for their Stateside music video. The video had the two artists swapping aesthetics — this is the pop girl exchange programme we can get behind. We already liked them separately, but putting them together has given us a collaboration we’re clearly not ready to move on from just yet. PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson may be the faces, but a visual world takes a team to build.

GEORGE MICHAEL, ALWAYS!

image courtesy of RICH POLK/BILLBOARD via GETTY IMAGES

RAYE, sombr, Teddy Swims and Adam Lambert came together to celebrate George Michael, ten years after his passing. Sombr opened with Faith and Father Figure, before RAYE took on I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me), Michael’s duet with Aretha Franklin. Teddy Swims followed with Careless Whisper, and Adam Lambert arrived for Freedom! ’90. Hit after hit, the performance might’ve brought four different artists together, but the songs — and the man behind them — remained the main event. As Lambert put it, George Michael, you will always be “a quintessential pop star.” That much is settled.

SMELLS LIKE A VANGUARD AWARD!

Nirvana received this year’s Video Vanguard Award, with Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear taking the stage to accept it. And while Pat brought a lit cigarette along for the occasion — because apparently some things really haven’t changed — Krist paid tribute to Kurt Cobain, describing him as “one of one.” It was little rock-star behaviour, and a genuinely touching moment of remembrance of Cobain and band’s place in MTV history. After all, it is without a doubt that Nirvana’s videos defined generations to come.